Luggage carrier



M. A. FORD.

LUGGAGE CARRIER.

APPLICATION men M08, 1920.

1,407,994. Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

PATENT o F1cE.

.MATTHEW A, FORD, OF DAYENFORT, IOWA,

LUGGAGE CARRIER;

T0 allwhom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, MATIHEW A, F 0RD, a

Davenport, in the county of Scott andStatc of Iowa, have inventedcertain new and. useful Improvements in Luggage Carriers, of which thefollowing is a specifioation'.

This invention relates ingeneral to luggage carriers, andhasinore'particular reference to a device'for' holding luggage of variousdescriptions in position on therrun ning board of an automobile; I 5 cOne of the primary objects of the present invention is to rovide aluggage carrier 01" novel construction, adapted for attachment to therunning board of any automobile, and

which is so constructed'that it maybe quickv x U I p ca-lrembodiment oflily lllventloli, the mam ly and easily transformed from operative toinoperative condition,that.is, n ma .lug-

gage-carrying to a collapsed condition, In

ithe latter condition, the carrier parts arein very compact relation,occupying but a small space along theedgeoftherunning board.

, Another object is to provide aluggagecan rier of the characterdescribed, whichwill comprise such few parts of simple construction asto enable production of the;.-article at a comparatively low cost. 5

Z l I have also aimed to"prov1de,a; luggage carrier especially adaptedto be :attached to the brackets which support the running. board, thusutilizing thejsame bolts employed for'connecting the running board to. II v p m1 ets,'may be employedffor attaching? the its bracketed Itfollows,-thereforepthat the permitting them to be quickly andeasilyhcollapsed .or moved toan inoperativev posi-H tion in whichthey areretained againstrattling by'meansincluding thje bar-supporting use ofextra bolts, screws,clamps orgother extraneous fastening. devices isjdisp'ensed with Still another object bars or members in operativeposition and means.

Fig. 3, a s1de elevatlon Fig. 4, a detail topview of-the mainchannelbarused in the-,carrieraand ,F g 5,; 6 and 7, se tional views tak il'pnlis'to novelmeans for supporting the luggage-retaining,

Application filed December 8,1'1gaQsaia11wj 9,153. I y

.fh raestsei -t anaemia g 3 and 2, respectively.,, I citizen of theUnited States, residing at 1 y 'inventicn. conteiiiplates,

or, any other vehicle or 'bodyon which luggage of various descriptionsmight be carried,

av {plurality of luggage-retaining bars and a pair of longitudinallytapered bars adj ustv y mount onvt fiam m m f o sun collapsed orclosely.associatedrelation,' I v I In'the present. illustration {ofonejpractb frame member is' inltheiformffof a-fchannel lets 11 in theform off channel iron bars. The

bars '8, e and =1 1..are adjils'tably connected by boltsfl2,f;the. aterfor which. pass e through slots l3in thebarj8, so as to permit of} suitpi en it ft E t "Patented Feb."28,' 1922.

v y gene ly stated, the 5 provision of-fa frame I "member adapted to herigidly attached to the running board; or to any, other part of anautomobile,

bar '8 adapted to'be rigidly {supported at the I,

E outer edge 7 of a runningboard 9] or attached tal t" i b supp t. byany ta l H 52 115, such i x mp :reslaii r, m

able spacingfof the 'biarsIl-I' to accommodate hQ tb he an l t 20,v wuppo t-t e ru i g bo rd- A 1 owain Figs." r. .l a a. wT h e nels of thebrackets 20, sojthat the same bolts 14 which, connect lithe running tendi-to' its 1 brackets 111- an; thefhracket's 20. The main .Qh nnetbar 8isgal'sc .ibj med ith two'T- shaped slots 15,,thro'ugh each; enlargedend :Q h e amp d te'b ess'ida upr supporting bar offseq ionalconstruction, comprising {the sections 16 and 17 pivotally connectedtogether at -l8. ffEach s ectional part '16] has, .a reduced: threadedshank 19,

onwllich is loosely positioned a hooked latch V I member grand usin -11111 22. lVhen the r upright supporting vmembers are positioned withtheir shanks in the smaller; ends of ht l ts-15 it ay b r gidly seei sth channel bar 8 by tightening the wing nuts,

w slshou iin i la d! h sectional supporting memberslifl "have rivetedi-tol-their outer'; ends a luggag'e re'taining bar 23. A

pair of similar: barsf2 iiare adapted to [be e supported in verticallyspaced relation upon, andv by; the sectional supporting members .16;Each member ;l6f is' tapered longitudina y {as .shownxill F g-. 5, a t vhave 24 r have apertures of diiierent ception of the bars 16, limitingthe position of the bars 241 on said bars 16. The bars-23 and 24;;.a;re, preferably r shaped or vequippedwith inwardly projectingluggage-retaining ends preferably in theform of endmembers 25 pivotallyconnectednat26 to the bars so thatthe e'nd members may. be swung substantially into alignment-with their respective bars when thecarrierfparts are moved to collapsed position. j ltshould beuiidierstoodthat"myrirwention is in no way limited' 'to,th'e numberfand dimensionsof the luggageQ'retainifngbars, asthese maybe conj t ov precludeirattling;

' structed to suitthe needs of any particular type of luggage carrier.The description thus far completestheluggage carrier iniits operativecondition; it being; particularly noted that all of the parts are held{in rigid relative relation with the exception of the bars 241 which arefree t'oi be raised on the vertical bars 16, but which 'gravitate'togthelowefinost positionjpermitted by -theirrrespective apertures and thetaperpf the bars "16 The bars 2 1.becoine,'in "fact; wedgedto afcertaindegree on the tapered'ba'rs 16 so as 3,; @Vhen the luggagecarrier .inot in use, it may; be Packedawayfor rather collapsed, intoaver-y compact Joiindlewithoutdetaching it from its position on therunning board] Thisxisefi'ected by loosening. the

ivnigmuts j 22, folding theretaining ends [25 against ,t'li bars 23 and2j tfshifting the bars "16 laterally, in the present instance to theright, unti'l gthey aredisposed in alignment ,Iw'iththelargeryendsoi-the, slots 15; and

' then passing the rod .16 @downwardly through i said slots as far aspossible, that is, untihthe bars 23fand 2 1 restone upon the otherionthe main channel'barig, as shown in [Inthis positiomit will-beobservedjthat the pivotal connections 18 are disposedsubstantiallyjfbelo w the zcl'iannel bar S. The bars 16 maythen; beswung up' fw'ardlyftowardeach other so thateach bears upon; the djacentchanneL bracket 11' as a =fi1l'cruin. The'hooked members 21, are thenswung' upwarldly and engaged over the top of fthe bar-23, so as to clampand'retain the several parts in collapsedflrjelation, as shown H I i{channel'bar 8 andiithe interposed liars 24, an'djthe hoolged membersillareso shaped "h s 6. tac it a l r 'iif cr 'd the channel? brackets fllfiondrawing thef outer ends} of the bar 23 tightly, upon thefmain n 'popqr la 'r o- Sn ois il p is b 23tpl r ng th 'leflei 't ebe a th r gimie porti ns; un uf e -'-sionj to insure holding the several parts ;in s1 n n .ewatheutrat ing 'i:@I -..w, 1' ""he bserved thatin this positionthe fwing riiits 9' will'not become loose and be lost, because theyareprevented iron; turning by reason of the fact the wings strike thechannel barc-8uand prevent the nuts from turning. To place the luggagecarrier in operative condition again, the hooked latclrmernbers dition.1 The intermediate horizontal bars 24 gravitate totheirproperpositionsr.

The wing nuts will;

Attentionzis particularly d'rected to th e method of attachingitheluggage carrier in operative relation'to the running board, Byconnecting the bracketsl-l directly to the running'board'brackets 20 bythe same bolts which connect the; latter and the running 2 boardor 'byany other standard equipment bolts, such as" fender bo1ts,Iobtain averyrigid-andfdurable fasteningand support for the luggage carrierinvolving:but :a uninimum number ofpa'rtsr The luggage chanbrackets and are thusfirmly heldas against lateral displacement. By making the V brackets;;1l adjustable lengthwise of and upon the channel bar 8, the luggagecarrier '11 may be'atta'ehed to any automobile ot standard constructions-1 a 1 =7 It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clearunderstanding of'theiobjects prefaced above, -and-while Ihaveilliistrated and described but a single working embod'inient ef myinvention; it should be understood that various 1 changes might be madein -details of construction meaning size, -prop'ortion "and number ofparts Without departing from 5 the" spirit "and scope; of the inventionas expressedin the appended claims, 1n whichyIqclaimr I 15A, luggagecarrier "for automobiles fadapted to be attachedto a unnin boardthereof, coniprisinga plurality oh0rizq m1 luggage retaining membersadapted to be supported one "abov e' the other in spaced 'operatlverelation at the outer edgeof the running board, and means attached 'onlpprting said" members in said opera-ti epositio'iiQsaid' member andtheir supporting members being so constructed that the ihorianother incompact [collapsible relation beyoga theouter edge and beneath the topof the running heartland held in such collapsed relation by'saidsupportin' g'nieans;

y i to f the underside of the running; board fo sup- 'z'ontalmembersmay'be positionlecl -onfejupoii 2. ,A luggagef carrier'comprising ;plu-' 7 rarity of lugg':ige retainin'g 5 bars, a aw oflongitudinally tapered members the tapered surfaces of which supportsaid, bars in vertically; spaced relation, certain of said bars beingslidab-le on saidanembers into compact v relation, means carry ngSiL1(lII1BII1b81S ZLIld adapted for attachmentto a suitable support,said members being movable relatively 'to said means to bring theluggage-retaining bars into compact relation, and means for locking theseveral parts in saldcompact relation. I

I 3; A luggage carriercomprising a plurality of luggage-retaining bars,a frame member adapted for attachment to a suitable "support, andlongitudinally tapered mem- J bers the tapered surfaces of which areadapted for supportingsaid bars a on said frame with said frame member.

4. A luggage carrier comprising a plurality of luggageretaining bars, aframe member adapted for attachment to a suitable support,longitudinally tapered members for supporting said bars on said framemember in spaced relation and movable relatively to the frame member forbringing the bars into compact relation with said frame member, and endretaining members pivotally mounted on theends of said luggageretainingbars and movable from a position at substantially right angles theretointo one substantially in alignment therewith.

5. A luggage carrier comprising a channel bar having a pair of T slotstherein, means for attaching the channel bar to a suitable supportingbody, a pair of longitudinally tapered members each movable lengthwisethrough the larger end of one of said slots and adapted to be secured inopera-' tive position in the smaller end thereof, a plurality ofluggage-retaining bars supported on said tapered bars, and a membercarried by each bar for lockingthe luggageretaining member in connectionwith the channel bar when the parts are in compact relation. I

6. A luggage carrier comprising a channel bar, a pair of brackets forconnecting the bar to a suitable support and adjustable lengthwise onthe bar, a plurality of horizontal luggage-retaining bars, means sup--porting said luggage bars in vertically spaced relation upon and abovethe channel bar, said means permitting the luggage-retaining bars to belowered one upon another into compact relation on the channel bar, andmeans for locking the parts in such compact relation.

7. A luggage carrier for automobiles adapted for attachment to a runningboard thereof. comprising a pair of vertical supporting members, meansfor adjustably attaching them to the running board at the outer edgethereof, and a plurality of horizontal l gg ge retaining bars verticallyslidable upon said vertical members from spaced operative relationthereon to a compact position beneath the top of the running board, saidsupportingmembers being movable from said vertical position to ahorizontal position.

i S. A luggage carrier tically spaced and compact relationfrespectively, and means forlocking said sup-' port ng members to saidframe in either op. erative OIilIlOPGIfilJlVG, position. I

member, "a plurality .of luggage-retaining ,,ta-r of s pp r i m bers;'mb ably associated with the frame member. for

ho ding, the luggageretaining bars either in operative vertically spacedor'inoperative compact relation, and each equipped with a wing nutadapted to be tightened for locking the supporting member in operativeposition, said supporting members being so disposed when in inoperativeposition that the wing nuts are precluded from turning.

10. A luggage carrier comprising a frame member, a plurality ofluggage-retaining bars, a pair of supporting members each comprisingpivotally connected parts, one

of the luggage-retaining bars being rigidly connected to one pair ofsaid pivotally connected parts, the other pair of pivotally connectedparts being longitudinally tapered,

the remaining luggage-retaining bars. being slidable upon said taperedparts and held thereby in vertically spaced relation, and means wherebysaid supporting members may be moved relatively to the frame member formoving the luggage-retaining bars to operative and inoperativepositions. I

11. A luggage carrier for automobiles comprising a pair ofhorizontalbrackets adapted to be rigidly attached to the underside ofoneof the running boards with the outer ends of the brackets extendingbeyond said board, a frame member mounted on said.

extended ends of said brackets. the conneccomprising a sup- -portingframe, a plurality of luggage-retaining bars, uprightsupporting membersvertically slidable through the frame to op-, erative and inoperativepositions in which to hold the luggage retaining bars in ver- I 9.A;luggage carr er comprising aframe tion' between said member and bracketsper mitting adjustment of the latter toward and from each other toaccommodate them. to

standard bolt connections on the underside i of the running board, andluggage retaining means mounted on said frame member.

12. A luggage carrier for automobiles comprising a luggage-retainingstructure, and means for attaching said structure to the'underside of arunning board to standard bolt connections thereon, said means saidbolts and be rigidly secured thereby to the running board, said membersbeing adjustable toward and from each other upon comprising membersconstructed to receive' and with respect to the carrier proper -wherebyto align said members With the adapted to be supported along the outer.

edge of a running board, comprising in combination with standardboltconnections on the underside of the running boardgofa luggage carrierhaving longitudinally spaced j bars, of means for supporting said barsin members reaching under the running board and rigidly attached by saidbolt' connections thereto said lug'gare carrier being constructed topermit adjustment of said members 2 toward and from each otherlongitudinall of the running boai'd into alignment -wit aut'omobilesl; r15." A luggage carrier for automobiles adapted to be supported alon theouter edge of a'runningboard thereo comprising a plurality ofhorizontalluggage retaining saidstandard bolt connect-ions.of differentvertically spaced operative relation along 36 the outer edge of saidrunning board, oom-mi prising longitudinally tapered: upright mem--hers" upon and by the tapered surfaces. of

'WhlCllsaid bars are supported in vertically spaced relation.

MATTHEWA. Fons.

